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2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season (Dane)
Overview The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season was a near average Hurricane season. It began on June 1st, 2020 and ended on November 30th, 2020, and featured a total of 15 storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes. Despite this, the season was a notable break from 2016-2019, which each had at least one category five storm. Despite being the first season since 2015 to not have a storm attain Category 5 status, 2020 proved to be quite destructive, the most notable of which was Hurricane Gonzalo, which parraleled Hurricane Andrew's ascent 28 years earlier to make landfall in South Florida in early September with rumbling. Gonzalo became the 4th most destructive storm in the Atlantic in recorded history, causing nearly $80 billion in damages. Gonzalo also made up a large portion of the damages from the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season. 2020 is also notable for ending a five year streak of a preseason storm (one forming before June 1st) dating back to 2015. The first system, Tropical Storm Arthur, formed on June 6th, less than a week after the beginning of the season. Most forecasters predicted a below average season, anticipating the arrival of an el nino could potentially inhibit activity across the basin. However, this el nino never materialized, and the ENSO of the season was warm neutral for the duration of the year. Season Summary For the first time in five years, the season did not begin prior to the official start of the season on June 1st. The first system, Tropical Storm Arthur, formed on June 6th, and attained peak winds of 60 mph before making landfall in Western Florida. In early July, Tropical Storm Bertha briefly existed in the Bay of Campeche before making landfall on Mexico. The latter half of July saw the formation of Hurricane Cristobal '''off the Bahamas, which became the first Hurricane of the season and made 2020 the second straight season to feature a Hurricane in the month of July. Acitivity in the MDR picked up in August, with the formation of '''Tropical Storm Dolly '''and eventually '''Hurricane Edouard, which reached Category 4 status and made landfall on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula along with a second landfall in Northern Mexico. It was followed up by Hurricane Fay, which formed to the Northeast of the Bahamas on August 12th, and attained strong Category 2 status as it slowed down and made landfall near Melbourne. However, Fay was overshadowed by Edouard and Hurricane Gonzalo, which formed and hit South Florida just two weeks after Fay's hit to Florida, causing astronomically high damage and becoming the 4th most destructive storm on record. September began with Tropical Storm Hanna, a strong tropical storm that stayed well out to sea.Tropical Storm Isaias '''formed shortly after, breezing through the Azores. '''Hurricane Josephine '''was the next big storm of the season, a mid-September Category 1 that made landfall in Newfoundland. '''Hurricane Kyle was stronger in intensity in the later half of September, but the storm stayed well out to sea and skirted between the East Coast and Bermuda without incident. September ended with Tropical Storm Laura, a weak tropical storm through the Bay of Campeche. Just as September ended, October began with Hurricane Marco's brief life in the central MDR. Tropical Storm Nana '''formed nearly a week later with the combination of a surface low and some of Marco's remnant moisture, making landfall in Nicaragua. Finally, the season ended in November thanks to '''Subtropical Storm Omar's 6 day meandering through the Northeastern Atlantic. Systems Tropical Storm Arthur On June 1st, a broad area of circulation emerged off the coast of Honduras, and was monitored for a chance of development. The system became tropical depression one while 50 miles east of Chetumal, Mexico on June 6th. It became Tropical Storm Arthur 12 hours later. Late on June 6th and early on June 7th, it passed between Mexico and Cuba without incident. The next day, Arthur made landfall at peak intensity near Venice, Florida. Arthur weakened and quietly exited out to sea, degenerating into a remnant low on June 10th. The ensuing remnant low was absorbed into a large extratropical cyclone several days later. Arthur caused 2 deaths and a total of $60 million in damages. Tropical Storm Bertha On June 30th, an area of scattered thunderstorms was first noted east over the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The system gained some organization when crossing into the Bay of Campeche on July 1st, and became Tropical Depression Two two days later on July 3rd. 18 hours later, Two became Tropical Storm Bertha, the second named storm of the season. Shortly after, it made landfall north of Veracruz, Mexico. High terrain caused the system to degenerate into a remnant low the next day. The moisture of this storm eventually played a role in the formation of Tropical Storm Cristina in the Eastern Pacific. Bertha caused one death and minimal damages. Hurricane Cristobal On July 7th, a wave was noted exiting the coast of Africa. It was again spotted on July 17th, several hundred miles northeast of Puerto Rico. The system moved west-northwesterly, taking a turn northwesterly near the Turks and Caicos Islands on the 20th. It became Tropical Storm Cristobal two days later, skipping over Tropical Depression status to become the third named storm of the season. In an area with relatively low shear and near the warm waters of the gulf stream, Cristobal intensified, reaching hurricane status mid-day on July 24th. Cristobal reached peak intensity later that day before beginning to weaken. It passed between the Carolinas and Bermuda without incident, as it traveled Northeasterly, quietly weakening for the next four days before becoming an extratropical cyclone on July 29th. Cristobal is not responsible for any damages or deaths. Tropical Storm Dolly A tropical wave was first noted exiting the coast of Africa on July 29th. The wave became an invest on August 1st while southwest of Cabo Verde, eventually becoming Tropical Depression Four three days later. Under marginally favorable conditions, Four strengthened into Tropical Storm Dolly. Dolly reached its peak intensity the next day on August 5th, before entering an environment with more shear, causing Dolly to slowly weaken and degenerate into a remnant low on August 7th. The remnants fell apart the next day as they approached Dominica. Dolly is not responsible for any damage or deaths. Hurricane Edouard Category:Atlantic hurricane seasons Category:Atlantic hurricanes Category:Future Atlantic Season Category:Future Seasons